There are two main ways that Catholics use to focus on growing closer to God during the Lenten season: abstinence and fasting. Abstinence is the act of “doing without” or avoiding something.

On Ash Wednesday, many Catholics will receive ashes on their forehead in the shape of a cross. The ashes are made from the palms from the previous Palm Sunday and they are a public sign of faith ...

Ash Wednesday begins the 40 days of Lent leading up to the Christian celebration of Easter. On Ash Wednesday, many Christians observe the tradition of placing ashes in a cross on the forehead, which ...

Marking the first day of the Lenten season, Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, March 5 and ends on Thursday, April 17.

Catholics are instructed to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent, a practice called abstinence. "Meat" is defined ...

The observance marks the start of lent, the season leading up to Easter; it's is one of five key periods on the Catholic liturgical calendar, along with Advent, Christmas, Easter, and Ordinary ...

Ash Wednesday – also known as the Day of Ashes – is a day of repentance and fasting, when Christians, especially Catholics, confess their sins and profess their devotion to God. For Roman ...

The season, including Ash Wednesday, is a time for penance, charity and fasting for many Christians, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. USA Today adds that during Lent ...